Tag Archives: brunch

Wake up for this new post! By following me in this blog, you will see that I love to eat great food and find special places to appreciate the food, the local environment or the view (in many cases when it comes to beautiful Rio!). And nothing better than begin a day with a great breakfast, and by great I mean a perfect combination of food, place and service.

I will mention 3 places that I really appreciate and if you don’t wanna go there for your first meal of the day, you can go when you want because they always have the options of everything you can eat in an usual breakfast. The order here does not mean preference, okay?! 😉

CAFEÍNA

You can find Cafeína in some neighborhoods in Rio – Copacabana, Botafogo and Leblon. I personally prefer going to Cafeína Leblon (there are 2 in Leblon, and I’m talking about the one located at Rua Ataulfo de Paiva 1321, the main street, corner with Rua Rita Ludolf) if I want to sit and relax seeing people walking by, passing with their dogs or going towards the beach, just a few blocks away.

In the photo above you see exactly how it comes the breakfast I usually order, and serves 2 or 3 people, depending on how starving you are! Comes with a diverse types of breads, toasts with butter and jelly, fresh cheese and curd, and mini cakes and cookies. I always drink their cappuccino – delicious! This choice comes with one hot drink and one juice. If you go with some frieds is just to order more drinks. Also, they have a varied menu of sandwiches and I have already tried some of them – Yes, I put my “fat thinking” to work!!! Italian, brie with apricot (if you like a great balance between saltiness and sweetness) and pastrami are my favorites!

And my “real crime” is eating the traditional waffle – OMG!!! I love it with butter, jelly and honey. And to complete, a chocolate milkshake, please! Let’s move on in this breakfast tips! haha

DA CASA DA TÁTA

Da Casa da Táta is a small but very cozy place, that makes me fell at home or in my grandmother’s home! A quiet and rustic place in a very busy Gávea neighborhood, close to Shopping da Gávea (local mall). The first time I went there was to give a special “gift” to my sister on her birthday, and she loved the place and the food just like me. That is, you will have a great day beginning it with your breakfast there.

I chose the “Café da Táta” option, the one in the picture above. Home-made breads with butter and jelly, pão de queijo (cheese bread), chocolate bread or with raisins, one cake to be chosen as your preference, one juice and one hot drink. Enough and very delicious to share! And I can’t say goodbye to this place without telling you to taste their pamonha, a wonderful corn-paste wrapped in husks, creamy and sweet! Neeeeeext…

EMPÓRIO JARDIM

This brand new restaurant is a mix of bistro, deli and bakery, opened in March/2014 and headed by chef Iona Rothstein (ex-Quadrucci e Le Pré Catelan – two renowned restaurants in Rio, and bakery certified by French Culinary Institute, Nova York). When you get there you find also a cozy place, that is focused not only in the food quality but also in its décor, with a cute garden in the entrance. I love when a restaurant mix all the aspects in order to take care of their customers. After all, I want to “feel at home, but outside” in a pleasant atmosphere, and the Empório Jardim (jardim = garden) is in the right place, at Jardim Botânico neighborhood, close to the main Garden of the city.

They have a varied menu and the big thing is of course the good home-made breads. And what I like the most is that you can checklistin a special menu what you wish for your breakfast, what makes it easy to customize it as much as you have more “room” to eat “pieces” of yummy food! I ordered different breads such as the croissant and one with nuts, slices of cheese, fruit (the mashed banana with oatmeal and honey was so good that today is part of my breakfast at home) and a special home-made butter flavoured with fig. Their tapioca (a starch extracted from manioc) is also a must-order, stuffed with goiabada (guava) or nutella. Yummy again!!! One cappuccino and the bill, please!